


Eye of the Storm

by HunterusHeroicus93



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Angst, Assassination Attempt(s), Blood and Torture, Gen, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23164525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HunterusHeroicus93/pseuds/HunterusHeroicus93
Summary: After an assassination attempt, Alex is sent away on a school trip. But the danger follows him, and he soon finds himself in deeper trouble than he knows how to handle.
Relationships: Alex Rider & Jack Starbright, Alex Rider & Original Character(s), Alex Rider & Wolf, Tom Harris & Alex Rider
Comments: 9
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've spent a very long time working on this one, getting it perfect. I would absolutely adore any comments you may have for me, so please, let me know what you think!
> 
> <3

Alex woke, as he often did, feeling as though he hadn’t slept at all. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up, and looked at the alarm clock. Six A.M. Jack would be getting up soon, so he decided to go and put some coffee on. He pulled on his slippers and made his way downstairs. Halfway through filling the coffee pot, he realised what day it was.   
  
_ Saturday, _ he thought, smiling to himself. The first Saturday of the month. It was completely off limits to MI6, thanks to his new contract. He wouldn’t be getting a call from Mrs. Jones today.   
  
He started planning out his day, humming softly.   
  
“Alex?” Jack said, mid-yawn. “Are you feeling alright?”   
  
“It’s the first Saturday of the month,” he grinned.   
  
“Oh.” Jack understood. “What are you going to do?”   
  
“I thought I might go swimming. Maybe cycle around the park afterwards. I’ll take a book, or catch up on some homework.”   
  
Jack rolled her eyes. “Alex, it’s your day off. No homework.”   
  
“Fine, no homework.” Alex returned the eye-roll, but couldn’t hide his smile. “What about you?”   
  
“Oh, I don’t know. Lounge around the house in my pyjamas, watching TV and eating junk food.”   
  
“So, a normal Saturday for you, then?” Alex snorted.   
  
“Pretty much,” Jack shrugged.   
  
They had breakfast together, then watched some of the morning chat shows. Alex never understood what Jack loved about them, but he watched them with her anyway. He was determined to spend as much time with her as he could, and if that meant sitting through endless hours of  _ Loose Women _ , then so be it.   
  
Around ten A.M., Alex packed his bag, and Jack made him some sandwiches. He kissed her cheek and left, cycling towards the swimming pool.   
  
***   
  
It was empty when he arrived, which he thought odd for a Saturday morning, but he didn’t mind. He preferred the quiet. He changed, locked his things away, and dove into the pool. He began laps - five, ten, fifteen. His legs tired, and he slowed. It was then that he became aware of someone watching him from the edge of the pool. He surfaced, and was greeted by a hand pushing him back under. He thrashed, letting out the breath he’d taken a second before. The hand gripped his neck tightly. He reached upwards and took hold of the wrist. He curled his legs up and placed them against the wall, pushing hard. He rolled backwards under the water and came up a few feet away, spluttering. The owner of the hand was already sprinting away. He climbed out of the water and rushed to the changing room. He grabbed his backpack, pulled on his t-shirt and shoes without bothering to dry himself, and sped off towards the Royal and General on his bike. He skidded through the lobby and into the lift. The receptionist watched him, looking alarmed, and picked up the phone.   
  
“Mr. Rider is here to see you, ma’am. It looked urgent.”   
  
Two minutes later, Alex burst into the office. Mrs. Jones sat calmly behind her desk. She didn’t look surprised to see him. She took in his appearance - dripping wet, his eyes red and puffy - and agreed that this did seem urgent.   
  
“Someone just tried to kill me,” he choked out.   
  
“Take a seat, Alex.” She poured him a cup of water and he took it gratefully, gulping it down and soothing his burning throat.   
  
“Now, tell me exactly what happened.”   
  
“I was at the pool, doing laps, when I noticed someone standing there, watching. I went to see what they wanted, and they grabbed me and shoved me back under. When I got free, they ran. I didn’t see who it was.”   
  
Mrs. Jones nodded.   
  
“Have you noticed anyone tailing you recently?”   
  
Alex thought for a minute.   
  
“No, I -” he started.   
  
“Alex?”   
  
His eyes widened, and he searched his memories again. A black van at the end of his street. In the car park at school. Near the shops. He’d assumed it just belonged to someone in his neighbourhood, going about their daily business, and paid no attention. Perhaps he’d been wrong.   
  
“Dammit. I’m such an idiot. There  _ was  _ someone. A black van. It’s been following me for weeks, parking close by, but not close enough to look suspicious.” He ran his hands through his hair.   
  
“It’s alright, Alex. Perhaps now that they’ve attempted to carry out their mission, and failed, they’ll leave. But, just in case, we’ll assign someone to keep an eye on things.”   
  
Alex nodded, and stood. “I’d better let Jack know.” He sighed. “She’s going to be so mad.”   
  
“I’m sure she won’t, Alex. She’ll be relieved you’re alive.”   
  
Alex chuckled. “You don’t know Jack.” Mrs. Jones smiled.   
  
“Alex?” she called as he opened the door and stepped out. He turned back.   
  
“Make sure you sign out when you leave.”   



	2. Chapter 2

Half an hour of screaming and arguing later, Jack sunk onto the sofa, sobbing. Alex cleaned up the glass she had broken when he’d told her what happened and went to console her.   
  
“Jack, it’s okay,” he said softly. “I’m alive. See?” He prodded himself to show that he was solid.   
  
“I know, Alex. But you almost weren’t.” She looked up at him.   
  
“It’s going to take more than one guy and some water to finish me off,” Alex assured her confidently.   
  
“That’s what I’m afraid of. What if they try again?”   
  
“Mrs. Jones thinks they won’t. But she’s giving us a guard in case they do. I’ll be alright.”   
  
“They can’t watch you all the time,” Jack said.   
  
“Yes, they can. It’s their  _ job _ .”   
  
“But, what if -”   
  
“Jack,” Alex said firmly. “They’re professionals. It’ll be okay.”   
  
She nodded, and wiped her eyes.   
  
“When is the guard getting here?”   
  
“Soon. Mrs. Jones doesn’t hang around.” Alex patted her shoulder and got up. “I’ll make some tea.” He headed to the kitchen and put the kettle on.   
  
The doorbell rang, and he rushed to the hallway. Jack was already there.   
  
“Jack, wait!”   
  
His warning came too late. Jack opened the door.   
  
“Ms. Starbright?” the stranger asked.   
  
“Yes,” Jack said curiously.   
  
“Lydia Davies, ma’am.” She held out a hand. “Mrs. Jones sent me.”   
  
“Oh.” Jack relaxed. She shook Lydia’s hand and invited her inside.   
  
“Hello, Mr. Rider,” Lydia said.   
  
“Hi,” Alex said, eyeing her suspiciously.   
  
“I understand your wariness, Mr. Rider. Mrs. Jones told me everything.”   
  
“Right,” Alex nodded stiffly.   
  
Lydia smiled. “I also heard you made quite an entrance when you went to see her. They were still cleaning up the mess when I left.”   
  
Alex laughed. He gestured towards the kitchen. “I’m just making some tea. Want some?”   
  
“I’d love some,” Lydia nodded. “We can get to know each other a bit more.”   
  
Jack followed them and got out an extra mug. They seated themselves around the kitchen table a few minutes later.   
  
“So, Miss. Davies,” Jack said. “How long have you been with MI6?”   
  
“Please, call me Lydia, ma’am. Six years. I trained with the SAS for four years, then I was recruited to MI6 and have been with them ever since.”   
  
“Six years?” Alex asked. “How come I’ve never seen you?”   
  
“I mostly did field work up until recently.” Lydia sipped her tea.   
  
“What happened?” Jack asked.   
  
Lydia rolled up her trouser leg. A long, thick scar stretched across her shin. “I almost lost it. Thankfully, they managed to save it in time. I decided to retire to the office after that.” She rolled her trouser leg back down and picked up her mug. Alex glanced at Jack. She had gone white, and was gripping her mug tightly.   
  
“Jack…” Alex said softly. She shook her head. Alex sighed and decided to change the subject.   
  
“Have they arranged anyone to relieve you yet?”   
  
“Mrs. Jones was working on that when I reported to her. She seemed to be having trouble, but I’m sure she’ll find someone soon.”   
  
“Trouble?” Alex asked. “How come?”   
  
Lydia hesitated. “I’ve heard rumours. No one has told us anything for certain, but there might be a mole inside MI6.”   
  
Alex stared. “How did that happen?”   
  
“I don’t know. It might be someone we know. Maybe they’ve been bribed, or threatened, or they’ve just decided to pursue a new career. Either way, there was a security breach about a month ago, and our computers were hacked into. We weren’t able to trace it accurately, but we think it came from inside the building. We managed to stop it pretty quickly, but who knows what they got away with. Especially if they knew what they were looking for.”   
  
It was Alex’s turn to pale.   
  
“I think that van showed up around then. I bet whoever hacked the files was looking for information on me. Maybe they sold it to someone, or they wanted it for themselves.”   
  
“That sounds likely, if it happened around the same time. But it might have nothing to do with you at all, and it’s just a coincidence.”   
  
“I don’t believe in coincidence,” Alex said thoughtfully.   
  
Lydia nodded. “Me, either.”   
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Jack took their empty mugs and put them in the sink.   
  
“I’m going for a lie down, Alex.” Jack disappeared upstairs. Alex exchanged a worried glance with Lydia.   
  
“Nothing will happen to you while I’m here, Mr. Rider,” Lydia reassured him.   
  
“Alex,” he corrected her. “Call me Alex.”   
  
Lydia smiled. “Alex, it is.”


	3. Chapter 3

Night settled in quickly, and Lydia began patrolling the grounds. She checked all of the windows to make sure none had been sabotaged, looked for cameras and bugs, then reported back to Alex and Jack before she took her post outside the door for the night. Alex handed her a spare key.   
  
“In case you need anything,” he said.   
  
“Thank you, Alex. Goodnight.” She nodded at Jack. “Goodnight, ma’am.”   
  
“You don’t have to call me that, you know,” Jack smiled. “It’s Jack.”   
  
“Of course, ma’am.” Lydia winked at Alex. He laughed. He knew Lydia would never call Jack by her first name.   
  
They wished her goodnight and good luck, and went inside.   
  
The night passed uneventfully, and at dawn, Lydia let herself into the house. Alex and Jack appeared shortly afterwards. Jack made pancakes, and they ate together as if nothing was out of the ordinary. After breakfast, Alex announced that he was going to see Mrs. Jones.   
  
“Should I come with you?” Lydia asked.   
  
“I don’t want to leave Jack alone,” Alex said.   
  
“I’ll be alright, Alex. I’d feel better if Lydia was with you.”   
  
“I agree,” Lydia said. “I was assigned to protect  _ you,  _ Alex. That means keeping you in my sights whenever possible.”   
  
Alex huffed. “I’m not going far. And the building will be full of MI6 agents. I’ll be fine.”   
  
“Alex,” Jack said sternly. Her expression told him she wasn’t going to back down.   
  
“Fine,” he groaned. He went upstairs to get dressed, and reappeared minutes later.   
  
“Don’t get too far ahead, Alex,” Lydia said as they left. He nodded and set off at a steady pace, while Lydia followed behind on foot.   
  
They arrived at the bank about half an hour later. Alex went inside, and Lydia stayed on guard at the door. Alex headed to the front desk and signed in, smiling at the receptionist.   
  
“Thank you, Mr. Rider,” she said. “I’ll notify Mrs. Jones of your arrival.”   
  
Alex nodded and headed towards the lift.   
  
He knocked on the office door this time, waiting for Mrs. Jones to respond.   
  
“Come in, Alex,” she called. Alex entered. Mrs. Jones sat in her usual place, looking her usual self, and Alex was reminded of Alan Blunt.   
  
“What can I do for you?”   
  
Alex sat. “I know about the computer hacker. And I think it has something to do with whoever is watching me.”   
  
“Why do you think that?”   
  
“Because it happened around the same time the van started showing up. Lydia told me about it yesterday, and I realised that it couldn’t have been a coincidence. Someone was looking for information on me. She thinks it’s a mole.”   
  
Mrs. Jones nodded. “She’s right. The attack came from inside this building, but we haven’t been able to find the person or persons responsible. And if this event coincided with your being tailed, then we can assume that whoever made the attempt on your life is an agent, or someone they are working for.”   
  
Alex sat quietly for a minute, taking it in.   
  
“So, what do we do?”   
  
“The attacker is in this city. You are not safe here, not even with a guard. There is only one thing we can do.”   
  
“No,” Alex said immediately. “I’m not going anywhere.”   
  
“I know how you feel about this, Alex. But the fact remains that, whoever is trying to kill you is  _ here _ , and if you’re not, they won’t be able to try again. And it will give us more time to stop them. Besides, you still work for us. I believe the mission I have in mind is more suited to you, and it will keep you at a safe distance until we can find whoever is doing this.”   
  
Alex mulled it over. She was right, of course, but he didn’t want to agree too quickly.   
  
“What is the mission?”   
  
Mrs. Jones smiled. “A simple one. Surveillance.”   
  
Alex scoffed. “An in-and-out job? I won’t have to do anything, or get involved in any way? I’ve heard that one before.”   
  
“I know. But it will be, and you won’t have to. I promise. Two weeks, at most.”   
  
“If you haven’t caught this guy in a month, how is two weeks going to make any difference?”   
  
“We have our best people on it. They’re close. It shouldn’t take much longer than that.”   
  
“Right.” Alex wasn’t sure he believed her, but he knew he didn’t have much choice.   
  
“What about Jack?”   
  
“Agent Davies will continue to guard your house, to keep an eye on Miss. Starbright, and to keep up appearances that you are still here. No one will see you, of course, but we hope Agent Davies’ presence will throw them off the scent. They’ll think we’ve tightened security. I’ll send another agent along to join her.”   
  
That satisfied Alex. Two agents at his house was sure to convince anyone lurking nearby that he was still around.   
  
“Where am I going?”   
  
“Belgium. I have arranged a school trip to Brussels as your cover.”   
  
Alex remembered the last time he had taken a school trip. He’d nearly been drowned, joined a terrorist organisation, and attempted to kill Mrs. Jones before being arrested by MI6.   
  
Mrs. Jones took his silence for uncertainty.   
  
“It’ll be alright, Alex. Nothing will happen to you, or to Jack while you’re gone. We’re going to station a few agents undercover around the city to keep an eye on you.”   
  
Alex nodded. Since Blunt’s departure, his missions had gone relatively smoothly. Mrs. Jones was much more careful, and considerate of his well being than Alan had ever been. But Alex had a feeling his lucky streak was about to come to an end.   



	4. Chapter 4

Giving Jack the news that he was going away had been harder than telling her he’d almost been murdered. She’d shut herself in her room and stayed there for over an hour, while Alex sat outside the door, trying to convince her he’d be okay.  
  
Eventually, she came out, and wrapped her arms around him tightly.   
  
“I’m sorry. I’m worried about you. They always say it’ll be easy, but last time they said that, they nearly got you killed.”   
  
“That won’t happen this time,” Alex insisted. “I just have to watch someone, record what they do, where they go, who they see. Nothing dangerous.”   
  
Jack wasn’t convinced, but she gave in. She knew she had no choice. And maybe things _would_ be okay this time. There would be agents watching over him the whole time, and it’s not like he was going to a dangerous country. It was _Belgium_. What could happen to him there?   
  
“Okay,” she finally sighed. “I still don’t like it. I don’t want us to be apart while someone’s after you. But I believe you’ll be safe.”   
  
“Thanks, Jack.” Alex hugged her. “I’ve got to go and pack. We’re leaving tomorrow.”   
  
“ _Tomorrow?!”_ Jack shrieked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”   
  
“I had to convince you first,” Alex shrugged.   
  
“How has it been arranged so soon?”   
  
“Mrs. Jones is very efficient. She sent out letters to all the parents yesterday, special delivery so they’d get them today, and MI6 is paying for everything. She told the school they’d won an all-expenses-paid trip from some government scheme, and that everything had been arranged for them. The school isn’t going to turn down a free trip to Belgium.”   
  
“I suppose you’re right there,” Jack said. “Go and pack, then. I’ll start dinner.”   
  
Alex headed to his room, grabbed his suitcase and began throwing clothes in it. Ten minutes later, he was dragging the case downstairs and settling at the kitchen table with Jack and Lydia.   
  
Dinner was spaghetti bolognese - Jack’s favourite. Afterwards, whilst Lydia was doing her rounds, Jack and Alex sat in the living room, discussing the trip.   
  
“Promise you’ll be careful, Alex. I don’t want to hear of you going missing again. Your teacher nearly had a heart attack last time.”   
  
“I know, Jack. I promise. Like I said, I’m just observing.”   
  
Jack hugged him, and he curled into her as he had when he was a child.   
  
They fell asleep on the sofa together, and Lydia threw a blanket over them before retiring to her post for the night.   
  
***   
  
Early the next morning, Jack called a taxi to take Alex to school. Lydia went with him, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans that she had borrowed from Jack. She had insisted on accompanying him to the school gates. She helped him with his suitcase and hugged him goodbye for the benefit of the other students and parents. Tom spotted them and ran over.   
  
“Alex! Can you believe this? They said we’ve won a trip. I don’t know what they did, but I don’t care. A free school trip! Mum was happy, she couldn’t have afforded it otherwise. Dad doesn’t want me to go, of course, not after last time. He thinks I’ll disappear, too.”   
  
“Tom!” Alex yelled.   
  
Tom stopped babbling and looked up at Lydia. “Oh! Hello. I’m Tom, Alex’s best friend. Who are you?”   
  
Alex dug him in the ribs. “I’ll explain everything later.”   
  
Tom stared at him. “It was them, wasn’t it? This trip?”   
  
Alex nodded. Tom opened his mouth to ask more questions, but closed it again at the look on Alex’s face.   
  
“I’d better go, Alex. Jack will be getting worried.” Lydia waved and climbed back into the taxi. Alex and Tom watched her go, then Alex grabbed his suitcase and they went to join the rest of their class.   
  
The bus pulled up a few minutes later, and they all cheered loudly, clambering over each other to get the best seats. Alex and Tom sat right at the back, and Alex explained everything that had happened over the weekend. Tom’s mouth hung open by the time he had finished.   
  
“Why didn’t you call me? I could have helped!”   
  
“How? And besides, I didn’t want you getting involved. If they found out about you, they might start watching _your_ house, too. I don’t want to put you in danger.”   
  
“Fine, but I still want to know next time someone tries to kill my best friend!”   
  
Alex nodded. “Okay.”   
  
They fell silent for the rest of the journey. Alex dozed off shortly before they reached the airport, and Tom shook him awake when they stopped at the coach drop-off. Alex stretched and dragged himself off the bus to fetch his suitcase, then settled into a seat in the departures lounge to wait. He listened to his classmates’ excited chatter, discussing what they would do once they arrived in Belgium. But Alex only had one thing on his mind, and he still couldn’t shake the feeling that this mission wasn’t going to be as easy as everyone believed.   
  
***   
  
The flight was short, but to Alex, it seemed like the longest trip he’d ever taken. He went over the mission in his head, memorising names and places. Tom stayed silent, knowing how nervous Alex was feeling. By the time they landed, Alex had worked himself up so much that he was barely able to lift his suitcase. Tom collected his and Alex’s luggage, while Alex sat, head in his hands, taking deep breaths.   
  
“Alex, are you alright?”   
  
Alex looked up. One of the teachers had spotted him and hurried over.   
  
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just… the flight…” He gestured vaguely, and she understood.   
  
“You don’t like flying?”   
  
Alex shook his head, thinking of other times he’d been on planes. Once at gunpoint, and another, heavily sedated and unable to move or speak. He trembled, then leaned forwards and threw up.   
  
“Alex!” Miss. Parker exclaimed. “Tom, fetch him some water. I’m taking him outside for some fresh air.”   
  
“I’m fine, Miss. Honest.” Alex shrugged her off and got to his feet. Tom handed him a bottle of water, and he gulped half of it down. It cleared his head, and he relaxed.   
  
“Better?” Tom asked. Alex nodded.   
  
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Tom promised.   
  
“Thank you, Tom. Let one of the teachers know if he gets any worse.” She went back to join the rest of the staff members. Tom turned to Alex.   
  
“What was that about?”   
  
“I don’t know. I just don’t have a good feeling about this mission. Everything has gone so well the last few times, but this feels different. It feels wrong.” Alex exhaled slowly and looked around the airport. A man stood across from them, seemingly minding his own business, but Alex felt his eyes on him. He stiffened. The man put a finger to his ear and muttered something. He listened, then lowered his hand again. He nodded once at Alex, then picked up his case and walked towards the exit.   
  
“He was MI6,” Alex explained to Tom quietly. “He must have been here to make sure I got off the plane alive.”   
  
“Cool,” Tom breathed. Alex gave him a look. “Sorry. I mean -”   
  
“I know what you meant, Tom,” Alex smiled. “There’s gotta be another one around here somewhere.” He looked around, but nobody stood out. He shrugged. “Come on, it looks like we’re leaving.”


	5. Chapter 5

Their hotel was simple, but pleasant. Alex and Tom easily found their way around the building, exploring the dining rooms, lobby, and grounds. The man Alex was tailing was staying at the hotel directly across the street. Alex had a perfect view of its front doors, and he was able to see exactly who went in and out.  
  
 _Maybe this will be easy, after all_ , Alex thought.   
  
He set up the small but powerful video camera on the windowsill and aimed it at the hotel entrance. It would stay there for the entire duration of the trip, recording every single visitor and sending the information back to MI6 so they could identify anyone who looked suspicious. He plugged in the charger, and left the room to meet Tom back in the lobby.   
  
“There you are!” Tom shouted from across the room. He was sprawled on a leather sofa near the desk. He stood as Alex approached, ignoring the annoyed look he got from the desk clerk for shouting in his lobby. “Come on, everyone’s waiting!”   
  
They made their way outside where their class had gathered.   
  
“Right,” Miss. Parker said. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s get going.”   
  
Grand Place was only a short walk away. As they rounded the corner, a few of the children gasped. The market square was beautiful, surrounded by enormous guildhalls. Town Hall stood out from the rest, towering above them. They craned their necks up at the statue of St. Michael perched on top of the building.   
  
Miss. Parker started to explain the history of some of the buildings, but nobody listened.   
  
“Can we go exploring, Miss?” someone piped up. The class looked at her hopefully. She sighed, and nodded.   
  
“Alright. We’ll meet back here in two hours.”   
  
The class cheered and split off into groups, scattering across the square. Alex and Tom stayed behind.   
  
“Is everything okay, boys?” Miss. Parker asked.   
  
Tom nodded. “Yes, Miss. We’re just deciding where to go.”   
  
She smiled. “Well, you’d better decide quickly.” She left to join the other teachers. They headed towards a small cafe in the corner of the square, where they would wait until it was time to leave. Alex watched them leave, then looked around, scanning each face that passed. He was about to give up, when he spotted a man standing near the museum. He was tall, wearing a long, black coat and a bowler hat, and carrying a briefcase. Alex mentally compared him to the photograph he’d been given. He was certain it was him. He grabbed Tom’s arm and pointed.   
  
“That’s him.”   
  
“Are we going after him?”   
  
Alex nodded. “ _I_ am. You’re staying here.” Alex watched as the man entered the museum.   
  
“You’re going to go in there by yourself?” Tom asked.   
  
“Yes. I don’t want you involved.”   
  
“But -”   
  
“Tom, listen. If that is him, it could be dangerous. You could get hurt.”   
  
“So could you,” Tom pointed out.   
  
“That’s _my_ problem. I can’t focus on him if I’m worried about you, too.”   
  
“Isn’t it going to look a bit weird if you go to a museum alone?”   
  
Alex thought about that. A fourteen year old boy, on a school trip, in a museum without any of his classmates or teachers. He sighed.   
  
“Come on.” He started towards the museum, pulling Tom behind him. They stepped inside the museum and looked around. A guard eyed them suspiciously, but said nothing.   
  
Alex spotted the man turning a corner.   
  
“This way!” he muttered, and hurried after him. They stayed a safe distance behind, stopping to look at paintings and sculptures every time the man stopped or looked around.   
  
He seemed to take no notice of the two boys, and continued on his way through the building, ignoring the works of art surrounding him. He came to a bench, sat down, and put the case beside him. A minute later, another man sat on the other side of the bench. He seemed to be saying something, but Alex couldn’t get close enough to hear without being caught.   
  
He pulled out a flip phone, opened it, and pressed a button. Holding it to his ear, he listened.   
  
“What are you -?” Tom started, but Alex shushed him.   
  
“Is that everything?” the newcomer said.   
  
“Yes. Except…”   
  
“What is it?”   
  
“They know I’m here. They’ll be sending someone any day now. We can’t stay.”   
  
The other man scoffed. “They don’t know anything. You’re being paranoid.”   
  
“Perhaps. But it pays to be paranoid in my line of work.”   
  
A guard spotted Alex and Tom, and glared at them.   
  
“ _Hé, pas de téléphones!"_ he shouted.   
  
Alex looked up. “Oh! I’m sor - uh - _Je suis désolé._ ” He snapped the phone closed and sighed.   
  
“What is it?” Tom asked.   
  
“I was listening to them. I didn’t get a chance to hear much, but it sounds like it was a drop-off. I don’t know what was in the case.” He looked back over to the two men. The first one slid the case across the bench, and the other picked it up. He stood, straightened his tie, and walked back towards the exit - and towards Alex. He glanced at the two boys as he passed. Alex turned away quickly. The man continued, giving no sign that he had recognised him. Alex waited until he was sure the man had gone, then he turned back to see what the man he was supposed to be watching was doing now. He was no longer sat on the bench.   
  
“Damn,” Alex said, turning back to Tom. “Come on, let’s go back.”   
  
They left the museum and headed back towards the centre of the square. It was too early to meet anyone else yet, so Tom took a map on the way out and pointed to a few shops he wanted to visit. Alex followed him without argument, content to let Tom lead the way. 


	6. Chapter 6

Alex went to bed early that night. The excuse of a headache wasn’t a complete lie - he couldn’t stop thinking about the contents of the briefcase. And who was the other man? Someone buying MI6 secrets, perhaps. Or maybe he was just the go-between, and he was passing the case on to someone else. Alex had to find out. He slept fitfully, unable to clear his mind.  
  
He was awake and dressed before Tom the next morning. He went down to breakfast alone, still thinking of the previous day’s events, and what they could mean. He found a table near the window and sat down, staring out absent-mindedly. A bird flying past caught his attention and he focused. The man in the black coat was standing across the road, looking directly at Alex. Alex froze, wondering if he could see him.   
  
_No,_ he thought. _There’s no way he can see me from there._   
  
The man blinked, then turned and walked down the street towards the square. Alex leapt out of his seat and was about to follow when his classmates and teachers walked in.   
  
“Good morning, Alex!” Miss. Parker called. “You’re up early. Are you feeling better?”   
  
“Oh, yes. Much better, thank you,” Alex said distractedly. Tom sat down at his table, watching him warily.   
  
“Alex? What’s wrong?”   
  
Alex turned, trying to keep his expression nonchalant.   
  
“Nothing, I’m fine. Just tired, that’s all.”   
  
“Alex,” Tom said warningly.   
  
“I’m going to get something to eat,” Alex said. He wandered off towards the breakfast table, ignoring Tom’s suspicious look.   
  
After breakfast, the class gathered in the lobby. They had a trip to the beach planned for the day, and everyone was excited. Which meant they were loud, and distracting. Alex closed his eyes and tried to drown out the shouts and laughs around him. He was grateful once they finally stopped.   
  
The vast beach stretched ahead of them, warm and inviting. Alex breathed in the sea air. Tom tugged on his sleeve.   
  
“Come on, let’s find a good spot.” He ran off down the beach. Alex grinned and ran after him.   
  
Tom lay down on his towel, stretching out and looking up at the sky. He sighed happily. Alex looked around to check that it was safe. His eyes lingered on a man about ten feet away. The man looked in his direction, nodded once, then resumed staring out across the ocean. Alex let himself relax and settled onto the sand.   
  
An hour or so later, Tom sat up.   
  
“Did you bring sunblock?” he asked. “I think I’m burning.”   
  
Alex handed him a bottle and Tom began slathering it on. He stopped halfway through covering an arm.   
  
“I want ice cream. I think I saw a stall over there.” He nodded over his shoulder.   
  
“I’ll get it. You can buy the next one,” Alex laughed, standing up. He slipped his sandals on and headed in the direction Tom had indicated.   
  
“Chocolate chip!” Tom yelled after him. Alex waved in response.   
  
The stall had no line, which Alex was glad of. He ordered two chocolate chip ice creams, but the vendor didn’t move.   
  
“Uh…” Alex cleared his throat. “ _Parlez vous anglais?_ ” The man said nothing.   
  
Alex became aware of someone standing behind him. He was about to turn to ask for help, when he felt something press into his back. He tensed. He looked up at the stall vendor, and saw that he was smiling. Or rather, smirking.   
  
“What do you want?” Alex asked quietly, speaking to the person behind him.   
  
“See that car over there? The black one?” a man’s voice asked.   
  
“Yes.”   
  
“Walk over to it, slowly, and get in. Don’t turn around. Or my friend -” He leaned closer. “- shoots your friend.”   
  
Alex twitched, wanting to turn and run back to Tom, to warn him, but the man prodded the gun hard into Alex’s back.   
  
“ _Don’t turn around!”_ he growled. “Now, walk.”   
  
Alex started forward, taking as much time as he dared. His eyes darted around, from one person to another. The resort wasn’t very busy, and he doubted anyone was paying attention to a child walking along the promenade. There was no chance of escape. He realised that the man he had spotted earlier was not on his side after all. This was bigger than he’d thought, than any of them had thought. Mrs. Jones had no idea what she had gotten him into.   
  
He arrived at the car, and stopped just short of it. The door opened, and he reached for it hesitantly. The windows were completely blacked out. Nobody could see inside, which meant nobody would know he was there.   
  
“Get in,” someone demanded. He obeyed. The door slammed shut behind him, and a hood was pulled roughly over his head.   
  
“Hey!” he exclaimed. Something collided with the back of his head, hard. He slumped forwards, darkness closing in on him. His last thought was of Tom, back on the beach, waiting for Alex to return with ice cream. 


	7. Chapter 7

He came to slowly, his senses filtering information through his unconscious mind. The first thing he noticed was how uncomfortable he was. A hard surface, and a chill that made him shiver; he was no longer wearing his t-shirt. He tried to shift, then realised he couldn’t move his arms or legs. He searched himself mentally, checking for any injuries. Thankfully, he found he was unharmed, but his hands were tied behind him, and his ankles were bound to something solid. He lifted his head, dizziness rushing through him. He almost passed out again, but a voice made him open his eyes.  
  
“Hello, Alex.”  
  
Anger coursed through his veins as he made eye contact with his captor. He pulled at the plastic ties holding him in place, growling.  
  
“I should have known,” he snarled.  
  
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Alex,” Lydia said. “I’m a good actress.”  
  
“I was stupid to trust you. You knew too much. Mrs. Jones would never tell anyone if she thought someone had infiltrated MI6. She wouldn’t risk giving them a chance to escape.”  
  
“That’s true,” Lydia agreed. “She’s a smart woman. But you were so easy to manipulate, especially if you thought I was on your side. I had to give you something to make you trust me.”  
  
“Where’s Jack?”  
  
“Don’t worry about her, she’s fine.” Lydia moved to stand directly in front of Alex. She tilted his face towards her with a finger. He glared up at her, wishing she was close enough to headbutt.  
  
“You, on the other hand…” She let go of his chin. “You have something we want.”  
  
“And what’s that?”  
  
Lydia shrugged. “Mostly, we want revenge. You’ve been a real pain in our necks, Alex. Everyone is tired of you. You get all the best jobs, you get special treatment, and the rest of us are overlooked, like we don’t matter. We trained our whole lives for this job! _You_ show up out of nowhere, spend two weeks with the SAS, and you’re an instant hit. You don’t belong here. And we want you _out_ , one way or another.”  
  
Lydia was shaking with fury by the time she’d finished speaking. Alex said nothing. He knew someone at MI6 had wanted him dead, but he had no idea that so many felt the same way. He felt a pang of guilt. He’d never asked for this. He’d been forced into working for them, under threats from the former Head. He’d risked his life for them, and gotten nothing in return, not even a ‘thank you’.  
  
The guilt subsided, and he was angry again.  
  
“They blackmailed me into working for them. I didn’t want to, but they gave me no choice!”  
  
“ _Alan Blunt_ gave you no choice, but he’s gone!” Lydia shrieked. “He’s not in charge anymore, and you chose to stay. Got a new contract and everything. You could have said no. You could have walked away. But you _stayed._ Why?”  
  
Alex fell silent. He thought about his reasons for staying. Jack was no longer threatened with deportation, he could stop whenever he wanted to. But did he want to? He didn’t know. He stared down at the floor, a million thoughts rushing through his mind. A knock at the door startled him, and he looked up. A man entered, carrying a tray. Alex straightened up in the chair, not liking where this was heading.  
  
“I’ll take it from here, Agent Davies,” he said politely.  
  
She saluted and left, locking the door behind her.  
  
Alex watched nervously as the man set the tray down on a low table that he hadn’t noticed before. His phone was also there, and he realised they must have searched his pockets while he was unconscious. Oddly, that made him feel more uncomfortable than sitting in front of this stranger without a shirt on. But seeing the phone had given him a glimmer of hope. MI6 would be able to trace his location through the chip once they realised he was missing. He just had to hold on until then.  
  
As the man turned to face him, holding a syringe, he silently thanked Sergeant Griffiths for forcing him through RTI sessions during his time with the SAS.  
  
***  
  
“Mr. Rider,” the man said, as though they were meeting casually. “My name is Dr. Andrews. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”  
  
“I don’t give a damn who you are,” Alex growled. “What do you want?”  
  
“I’m going to give you one chance, Alex. You tell me everything, and I’ll kill you quickly. Withhold anything, and I can make your death slower and more painful than you can imagine.”  
  
“So, either way, I die? I think I’ll pass.”  
  
Dr. Andrews laughed. “I always did like your stubbornness, Alex. It will be a shame to lose such a quality.”  
  
“What do you want to know?”  
  
“That’s more like it. I want to know what happened on your previous missions. Specifically, to the people you worked for when you were with SCORPIA. They were my friends, you know. I’d like to know how they died.”  
  
“Screaming,” Alex spat. “They all died screaming.”  
  
Dr. Andrews’ eyes darkened. “Then you will, too.”  
  
Andrews moved to Alex’s side and held up the syringe. He freed one of Alex’s arms. Alex lashed out, and the doctor stumbled backwards.  
  
“Hold him!” he barked at a guard standing near the door. He hurried over and grabbed Alex’s wrist, holding his arm out straight.  
  
Dr. Andrews tapped the inner elbow and positioned the needle at the raised vein. Alex winced as it pierced him, filled with dread at the thought of what could be in the syringe.  
  
The doctor removed the needle, and instructed the guard to re-secure Alex’s arm. Alex seized the opportunity again. He hit out, and his nails dug into the soldier’s hand. The guard yelled, took hold of Alex’s arm, and wrenched it backwards. Alex let out a roar of pain as his shoulder dislocated. His wrist was fastened tightly, and the guard went back to his post at the door.  
  
Dr. Andrews watched him silently. Alex gasped for breath, silent tears staining his cheeks.  
  
“I warned you, Alex. We can make this very painful for you,” Andrews said. Alex ignored him and focused on slowing his breathing.  
  
“Don’t you want to know what it was that you were injected with?” Andrews continued. Alex shook his head.  
  
“ _Strychnos nux-vomica_ ,” the doctor explained. “The strychnine tree. Its seeds are highly poisonous.”  
  
Alex’s breath quickened, and he looked up.  
  
“You _poisoned_ me?”  
  
The doctor smiled. “Don’t worry. The amount I gave you will not be fatal. But it will be very unpleasant.”  
  
Alex stared. He hadn’t expected this. This was far beyond anything he had been through in the Brecon Beacons. They’d beaten him, starved him, left him half-naked in freezing temperatures. But they’d never poisoned him.  
  
“Ironically,” Andrews continued, as if giving a chemistry lesson. “Strychnine was used as a medicine. Not anymore, of course, as it was found to have… adverse effects on the patient. It is now mainly used as a pesticide. Occasionally, drug addicts mix it with their LSD or heroin. I do not understand why.”  
  
Andrews leaned back against the wall, watching for signs that the poison was doing its job. Ten minutes passed. Twenty. Then, almost thirty minutes later -   
  
Alex twitched, his heart pounding. A fly buzzed near his ear, and he shook his head, growling.  
  
“Agitation is a common symptom of strychnine poisoning,” Andrews told him. Alex bared his teeth in response. “There are a lot of noises that can increase the severity - noises that you probably hear every day and think nothing of. A car horn. A child screaming. Someone simply tapping their fingers on a surface.” He demonstrated, drumming his nails on the tabletop.  
  
Alex gritted his teeth, desperately trying to block out the sounds. He tugged at his bonds again, but the pain in his arm made him still.  
  
“Would you like me to tell you some more of the symptoms? Although, I suppose you’ll find out soon enough. We might as well wait.” The doctor picked up Alex’s phone and opened it. The screen was blank.  
  
“The battery must be dead,” he commented. “What a shame.” He tossed the phone back onto the table.  
  
Alex yelped as several of his muscles began to spasm at once. The tremors shook his body, irritating his injured shoulder. After a few seconds, it passed, and he relaxed, panting.  
  
“Please…” he whispered. “Make it stop.”  
  
“I can’t do that, Alex,” Andrews said solemnly.  
  
“You’re a doctor.” Alex glared at him, then hissed as his damaged arm spasmed again. The limb became rigid, as did his legs and his other arm. His whole body stiffened. He wanted to scream, but he could barely breathe.  
  
“You’re right,” Andrews agreed. “I _can_ , but I don’t want to.”  
  
Alex’s muscles slackened, and he doubled over, gulping in air.  
  
“Please, do something,” he sobbed. “I can’t… I can’t breathe.”  
  
Andrews nodded. “Yes, that is one of the symptoms, unfortunately. Despite its name, vomiting is not a common symptom. A bit ironic, don’t you think? I suppose it depends on the person. Strychnine is a neurotoxin, meaning it affects the nervous system, which controls your muscles. Which is why they are becoming… unstable.”  
  
Alex tried to look up, but he was exhausted. He allowed himself to slip into unconsciousness once more, to escape the pain, at least for a short while.


	8. Chapter 8

Alex was woken by a sharp slap across his cheek. He grunted and opened his eyes. The soldier who had injured his arm was standing over him. The doctor was nowhere to be seen. Alex leaned back into the chair, as far away from the soldier’s hands as he could get. The soldier smirked.   
  
“Doc’s gone out,” he said gruffly. “He asked me to keep an eye on you.” He grinned maliciously. “Didn’t say anything about not hurting you, though.”   
  
Alex barely had time to brace himself before the soldier rammed a fist into his stomach. He coughed and curled in on himself. The soldier slammed him back into the chair and hit him again. He landed several more blows to Alex’s stomach and face before he stopped, rubbing his knuckles. Alex spat blood onto the floor and rested his head on the back of the chair, looking up at the ceiling.   
  
“Leave me alone,” he groaned.   
  
“Can’t do that. Doc said to stay put.”   
  
Alex sighed. The effects of the poison had worn off slightly, but he felt weak and lightheaded. He wanted to sleep, but of course, they wouldn’t allow it. He clung on to the hope that MI6 had been alerted and were on their way. In the meantime, he had to take whatever they threw at him, no matter how much it hurt.   
  
The door clicked open, and the doctor reappeared.   
  
“How are you feeling, Alex? Well rested, I hope?”   
  
Alex didn’t move, and the doctor grew impatient.   
  
“Make sure he’s paying attention, Lucas.”   
  
Lucas slapped Alex again, then threw another punch to his gut. Alex looked up at the doctor, burning with hatred.   
  
“That’s better,” Andrews said cheerfully. He turned to inspect the tray on the table. He hummed as he selected his tools, then faced Alex again. Alex’s eyes widened in fear.   
  
The doctor pressed the switch on the drill, testing the battery power. It whirred furiously, and he smiled. Switching it off again, he held the tip against the soft flesh of Alex’s good shoulder, just beneath the collarbone. Alex squirmed away from it.   
  
“No, please,” he begged. “Please, don’t.”   
  
“What can you tell us about our friends at MI6? You must know something useful. You were...  _ teacher’s pet _ , so to speak.”   
  
Alex whimpered. “I don’t know anything, I swear!”   
  
“You’re testing my patience, Alex.” Andrews dug the drill into Alex’s shoulder. “And I don’t have very much of that to begin with.”   
  
“Mrs. Jones knew there was a mole,” Alex said. “She knows everything. She’s going to find out who it was. That’s all I know.”   
  
Dr. Andrews thought for a minute.   
  
“Not good enough,” he said, and flicked the switch. Alex’s screams echoed around the small room, deafening everyone inside.   
  
Andrews switched off the drill and placed it back on the tray. Blood poured from the wound, but he didn’t bother covering it up.   
  
“He won’t bleed out from that,” he explained to Lucas. “It’ll clot soon, and the bleeding will stop. Then we can start again.”   
  
Alex barely heard. His eyes slipped closed. This time, when Lucas hit him, he didn’t wake up.   
  
  
***   
  
The doctor roused him a few hours later by soaking him with ice-cold water. Alex awoke gasping. He shuddered violently.   
  
“Have you thought of anything that could be of use to me?” Andrews asked.   
  
Alex’s teeth chattered as he spoke, and he had to force the words out.   
  
“The m-man I’m s-supposed to... be f-following, I saw him yesterday... in the museum. He was d-dropping off a suitcase to someone.... I don’t know who. They must b-be involved with the m-mole.”   
  
“What was in the case?”   
  
“I don’t know,” Alex said, shaking his head.   
  
“Alex…”   
  
“I don’t know!” Alex yelled. Lucas slapped him.   
  
“Lucas doesn’t like attitude, I’m afraid,” Andrews warned. “It would be better for you if we talked like adults.”   
  
“S-screw you,” Alex rasped. Lucas cracked his knuckles threateningly.   
  
“I think we’d better teach him some manners, Lucas. Don’t you agree?” Andrews turned back to the table, picked up a long, thin knife, and handed it to Lucas.   
  
“I have some work to do upstairs. I’ll check back in a while to see how you’re getting on.” Andrews nodded at them both and left. Lucas grinned, and Alex braced himself for what was about to come.   



	9. Chapter 9

By the time the doctor returned, Alex was wishing for death. Lucas had spent a full hour carving Alex's chest into a maze of cuts, some deeper and longer than others. Alex was soaked in blood and sweat, and praying that he would bleed out soon. The room was cold, though, so he knew that was unlikely, and the thought that they might be able to keep him alive for as long as they plagued his mind. He still hoped that someone would find him, but, for the most part, he didn’t care. He just wanted the pain to stop.   
  
Andrews started fiddling with the things on the tray, and Alex got a glimpse of what it contained. He spotted a roll of duct tape, several knives and scalpels of varying length, and a gun. The gun scared Alex the most. He had been shot before, and almost died. But it hadn’t been at point blank range. He assumed that it would feel very different with a handgun. He didn’t want to find out.   
  
A loud  _ bang  _ above them made Andrews look up. More bangs, crashes, and shouts filtered down through the grimy ceiling.   
  
Alex smiled weakly to himself as the shouts drew closer. He let out a soft laugh.   
  
“What’s so funny?”   
  
“They’re here,” he whispered. “You’re screwed.”   
  
“Shut up.” Andrews picked up the gun. He taped over Alex’s mouth and placed the gun at his temple. Lucas drew his own weapon and stood to the side of the door, holding the gun upright, ready to aim.   
  
Wolf’s deep voice cut through the chaos outside.   
  
“Cub?!”   
  
Alex lifted his head slightly, wincing at the fresh pain the movement brought. He tried to focus on the door, but his vision blurred, and he gave up. He waited.   
  
A hail of gunfire slammed into the door, and a thud told him the guard there had been hit. Silence for a few seconds, then -    
  
“Cub, are you in there?”   
  
He didn’t bother trying to answer.   
  
“Let them in,” Andrews nodded to the soldier.   
  
Lucas reached over and unlocked the door. It burst open and Wolf charged in, followed by Eagle, Snake, and Fox. They skidded to a halt at the sight in front of them.   
  
Alex, doubled over and barely breathing, a gun to his head. Andrews stood in front of him, glaring at Wolf. Lucas aimed his gun at Eagle, who was nearest.   
  
“Drop your weapons,” Andrews said.   
  
“Not happening,” Wolf snarled.   
  
“Fine.” Andrews cocked the gun. Alex flinched.   
  
“Okay, wait,” Wolf said. He lowered his gun to the ground and nodded at the others, who followed suit.   
  
“Kick them over,” Andrews ordered. Wolf complied.   
  
“What do you want with him?” Eagle asked.   
  
“None of your business,” Andrews snapped.   
  
“He’s our teammate, that makes it our business,” Fox growled.   
  
“I really don’t think you should be making demands, boys,” Andrews said, pressing the gun harder against Alex’s head. Wolf curled his hands into fists. His fingers brushed against the knife hidden in his belt.   
  
“Just let him go,” he said quietly. “Let him go, and we’ll leave. You’ll never see us again.”   
  
Andrews scoffed. “Right. I let him go, and you either kill me or arrest me. We both know how this works.”   
  
Wolf took a deep breath, determined to stay calm. “He comes with us. You get on a plane out of here. That’s the deal.”   
  
“How about this?  _ You  _ leave, or I kill him.”   
  
Wolf tensed. Eagle put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.   
  
“Don’t listen to him. He’s just trying to bait you.”   
  
“Well, it’s working,” Wolf muttered.   
  
The guard sniggered. Wolf’s eyes flickered towards him. He glanced at Eagle, and gave him a single, subtle nod. Eagle squeezed his shoulder again in response.   
  
“Hey, no silent conversations,” Andrews said. “You try anything, I pull this trigger. Got it?”   
  
“Got it,” Wolf said through gritted teeth. He slipped a finger under his shirt and around the handle of his knife.   
  
Eagle waited patiently for Wolf’s signal. He didn’t know what it would be, of course, but he knew Wolf would make it clear when the time came. He stood as still as he could, not wanting to distract Wolf even for a second.   
  
“Why go to all this trouble, anyway?” Wolf asked. “You tried to kill him once, and failed. You must have known they’d give him extra security.”   
  
“I have my reasons,” Andrews shrugged.   
  
“How much?”   
  
“Ten million.”   
  
Wolf let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot of reasons. Why?”   
  
“He’s caused a lot of people a lot of trouble. My employer decided it was time to put a stop to it.”   
  
“Who’s your employer?”   
  
Andrews laughed. “I’m not going to answer that.”   
  
“Fine. Why now?”   
  
Andrews shrugged again. “You’d have to ask my employer that.”   
  
“And you have no problem with this? Killing one of your own? Killing a  _ teenager _ ?”   
  
“I do what needs to be done. This boy is a menace.”   
  
Wolf sighed, and nodded. “Alright.”   
  
Andrews stared. “What?”   
  
“Go ahead, then. Kill him.”   
  
“Wolf!” Snake gasped.   
  
“What the hell are you doing?” Fox hissed.   
  
“Be quiet,” Wolf snapped. “Do it.”   
  
Andrews looked between Wolf and Alex hesitantly. Lucas watched, confused.   
  
“Doc?”   
  
“You’re bluffing,” Andrews said, ignoring Lucas.   
  
“Nope.” Wolf shook his head. “We’re not going anywhere. We’re not leaving him here with you. You said you’d kill him if we didn’t. So, do it.”   
  
Andrews looked down at the gun. His hand shook slightly.   
  
Wolf seized the opportunity. He stepped backwards onto Eagle’s foot. Eagle threw a punch at Lucas, knocking him to the ground. The gun flew out of his hand and skidded across the floor. At the same time, Wolf pulled out his knife and flung it across the room, hitting Andrews squarely in the chest. Andrews gasped and fell backwards, clawing at the knife. It was buried deep, and stuck fast. Wolf hurried over and handcuffed him. Eagle did the same to the guard. Snake and Fox ran to Alex. Snake knelt in front of him while Fox cut him free. Alex slumped forwards into Snake’s chest.   
  
“Cub?” Snake said softly. He put a hand on Alex’s shoulder, then immediately removed it when Alex screamed into his gag.   
  
“What happened?” Wolf asked, appearing at Snake’s side.   
  
“His shoulder. I think it’s dislocated.” Snake pushed against Alex’s chest gently, so that he was sitting back in the chair. He reached up and peeled the tape off. Alex moaned quietly.   
  
Wolf took in the full extent of the damage, and felt sick. He was bruised and bloody almost all over. A jagged hole in his right shoulder had been gushing blood, and his left arm hung uselessly by his side. Cuts of various length and depth dotted his chest, and his left eye was swollen shut.   
  
“Christ, Cub,” Wolf whispered. Anger rose within him, and he bit down on a desperate urge to plunge his knife all the way through Andrews’ chest.   
  
Eagle stepped towards them hesitantly.   
  
“We have to get him out of here, Snake,” he said.   
  
“We can’t move him.” Snake grazed Alex’s face with his fingertips, pulling away as Alex flinched at the touch.   
  
“Snake,” Wolf said firmly. “We have to go. I’ll radio the rest of the team, they can have a chopper waiting for us in minutes.”   
  
Snake nodded. “Okay.”   
  
Fox crouched beside Alex.   
  
“Cub, can you hear me?”   
  
Alex whimpered in response.   
  
“Okay. We’re going to get you out of here now. It’s going to hurt like hell, but you’re safe, okay? Remember that.”   
  
“Wait,” Snake said. “His shoulder. We need to reduce it.”   
  
Wolf nodded. “I can help.”   
  
“Okay,” Snake said. “Eagle, hold him down. Wolf, you take his arm, and when I say, pull as hard as you can.” Snake braced Alex against the chair. Eagle moved behind and wrapped his arms around Alex’s chest, locking him in place. Wolf took hold of his arm.   
  
“Okay, pull!”   
  
Wolf yanked, and there was a loud  _ pop  _ as the shoulder repositioned itself. Alex screamed. Eagle held him tightly, stroking his hair.   
  
“It’s alright, Cub,” he whispered. “You’re going to be okay.”   
  
Alex settled down and leaned into Eagle’s touch. He coughed, and blood dripped from his lips. He opened his good eye, and smiled weakly as Snake’s face swam into view.   
  
“Hey, Cub,” Snake grinned back.   
  
“Hey…” Alex croaked. He tried to look around at the others, and groaned as more pain shot through him.   
  
“Don’t try to move, Cub. We’ll have you out of here soon.”   
  
Wolf spoke quickly into his radio. “Target secured, suspects in custody. We need a bird here ASAP. We’re bringing him out. Medics, standby.”   
  
A response crackled through. Wolf listened intently.   
  
“ETA for the chopper is three minutes. Get him up.”   
  
Eagle and Fox each took an arm and hoisted Alex to his feet. His legs buckled, but they gripped him firmly and guided him towards the door. Alex stumbled, but he was determined to stay upright. Snake followed closely behind. Wolf took one last look at Andrews, who was now pale and still. He spat at him, not caring whether he was alive or dead, and headed after the others.   
  
The weight on his chest wouldn’t lift until Alex was well again, and who knew how long that would be?


	10. Chapter 10

Jack slid into St. Dominic’s at full speed, landing at the front desk.  
  
“Rider,” she panted.   
  
“He’s in ICU, madam,” the receptionist said.   
  
“Can I see him?”   
  
“He’s in quite a state. It will be a shock. I think you should wait.”   
  
“Let me see him,” Jack demanded.   
  
The nurse looked apprehensive. “Madam, if you just -”   
  
“I swear to God, if you don’t let me in there right now -”   
  
“I’ll take her.”   
  
Jack turned. Wolf stood in the corridor leading to ICU, looking exhausted.   
  
The nurse nodded. “If you’re sure,” she said to Jack.   
  
“I’m sure.” Jack stormed off towards Wolf, and followed him to Alex’s room. They stopped outside the door.   
  
“Jack,” Wolf said, blocking the entrance. “He’s badly hurt. It’s not going to be pretty.”   
  
“Move,” Jack growled. She pushed past him and opened the door.   
  
Alex lay still, and deathly pale. Tubes ran into his arm and through his nose, steadily dispersing fluids and oxygen into his system. Jack clapped a hand to her mouth. She rushed to his side.   
  
“Alex,” she moaned. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have let you go.”   
  
“It’s not your fault, Jack,” Wolf said.   
  
“I should have stopped him. He didn’t even want to go. I could have kept him at home.”   
  
“If MI6 wants something done, they get it done. You couldn’t have stopped it.”   
  
“What did they do to him?” Jack eyed the bandages covering his chest, and his arm resting in a sling.   
  
“You don’t want to know,” Wolf sighed. Jack glared at him.   
  
“Tell me.”   
  
Wolf hesitated. “His shoulder was dislocated. The others and I had to reset it before we could move him. His chest was cut all over, and…”   
  
“What?   
  
“They found strychnine in his bloodstream. That’s why he’s on an IV.”   
  
Jack looked at him blankly. “What’s that?”   
  
Wolf didn’t answer. Jack stood up and stepped towards him.   
  
“ _What is it_ ?”   
  
“It’s… a poison. They poisoned him.” Wolf looked away as Jack’s face fell, and she turned back to Alex with tears in her eyes. She knelt beside him, stroking his hair.   
  
“How could they? He’s a _child_ .” She lay her head on the bed, sobbing.   
  
“They’re psychopaths,” Wolf said simply.   
  
Jack looked up at him. “Where are they now?”   
  
“Some dead. Some in custody. They’ve been taken to a secure location to be questioned, then they’ll go to prison for a long time. Maybe forever.”   
  
“That’s not good enough,” Jack spat. “They should be lying here instead of him.”   
  
“I know. I want them dead, too,” Wolf admitted. “I almost killed him. The guy who did this. But I couldn’t. It would have been too easy. I want him to suffer the way Alex did.” His voice cracked, and he stopped and turned away.   
  
Silence hung in the air for a few minutes, aside from Jack’s sobbing, then Alex stirred and coughed. Jack looked up.   
  
“Alex!”   
  
Alex opened his eyes and focused on her.   
  
“Jack…” he croaked.   
  
Jack beamed, fresh tears falling as she did so. “Hey,” she whispered. “You’re gonna be okay now, don’t worry.”   
  
Wolf stood at Alex’s other side.   
  
“Hey, Cub,” he smiled. “You had us worried there for a minute.”   
  
“S-sorry,” Alex said weakly. He coughed again, his eyes screwed up in pain. He tried to sit up, but Jack stopped him.   
  
“Don’t move, Alex. You’re in bad shape.” She took hold of his hand and ran her thumb over it softly. “Wolf told me everything.”   
  
“Everything?” Alex asked.   
  
“Well, as much as he could. He told me what they did. But no one knows what happened, how they found you. There were no witnesses, either. Tom called me when you didn’t return. He knew something was wrong. He said you were acting funny that morning, like something had happened. What was it?”   
  
“The man I was watching… He saw me. He must have told whoever he was working with. Followed us to the beach. He wasn’t there, but there were others. They were all over the place, Jack. Whatever’s going on at MI6… it’s big. We can’t trust anyone.” Alex fell silent, his chest heaving. He remembered something, and grasped Jack’s hand.   
  
“Lydia! She was one of them.”   
  
“I know, Alex,” Jack said. “She came back after she’d dropped you off at school. Everything seemed normal, but then she went out the next day and didn’t come back. I guess she wanted to keep me happy until they had a chance to…” Jack faltered, and looked down. Alex squeezed her hand.   
  
“She’s a good actress,” he said, remembering Lydia’s words. “She was so angry. But… I get why. I shouldn’t be doing this. I had almost no training, no time to prepare.” Alex closed his eyes. “What did you do, when Lydia didn’t come back?”   
  
“I tried to call her. She didn’t answer, so I called MI6. The receptionist nearly put me on hold.” Jack laughed. “I wasn’t going to let that happen. I told her who I was, and she put me through to Mrs. Jones straightaway. She was concerned when I explained what had happened, said she was going to put in a report.”   
  
“Not good enough, huh?” Alex grinned.   
  
“No way,” Jack agreed. “I told her to find you, make sure you were okay. She had your phone tracked, and it wasn’t where you were supposed to be.”   
  
“That’s because _I_ wasn't where I was supposed to be,” Alex pointed out.   
  
“Do you know where you were?”   
  
“Some basement or underground bunker, I think.” Alex glanced up at Wolf, who nodded.   
  
“It was the basement of an abandoned apartment building. The place was derelict. Condemned, I think.” He pulled a chair forwards and sat down. “Alex, did you know any of the people there? Had you seen them before?”   
  
“No. Only Lydia.”   
  
Wolf nodded. “Good.”   
  
Alex shifted, hissing at the pain that shot through him. Jack watched him, concern etched into her expression.   
  
“Where’s Tom?” he asked. “Is he okay?”   
  
“He’s fine,” Jack said with a smile. “They packed up and left a few hours ago, they should be back in England soon. Someone will pick up Tom and bring him here.”   
  
Alex looked up, eyes wide with panic. “No. Not ‘someone’. We don’t know who to trust. We can’t send MI6.”   
  
“I’ll go,” Wolf offered. Alex shook his head.   
  
“I want you to stay. Please. Just in case.”   
  
“No one’s gonna come for you here, Alex,” Wolf reassured him. “But I’ll stay. I’ll call Eagle and get him to pick up your friend.”   
  
“Thanks, Wolf.” Alex paused. “For… everything.”   
  
“Just doing my job, kid,” Wolf chuckled. “But, you’re welcome.” He stood and took out his phone. “I’ll be back in a minute. Don’t go anywhere.”   
  
Alex’s laugh turned into a cough, and Wolf sighed. He looked at Jack.   
  
“Keep an eye on him.” He left. Jack turned back to Alex. He closed his eyes again, but kept his fingers wrapped around Jack’s.   
  
“Jack,” he said quietly. “I think I quit.”   
  
She laughed and kissed the back of his hand. “I think that’s a good idea, Alex. Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”   
  
She watched as he drifted back to sleep, then went outside to tell Wolf not to send for Tom just yet.   
  
She didn’t hear the door open behind her, or see the figure sneak into Alex’s room. 


End file.
